Tom Kha Gai - Thai Coconut Soup

This was a BIG winner in our household.  Seriously delicious and very different from our typical fare.  It requires lots of great, healthy ingredients for which we had to go to our local Asian market--I didn't even know galanga existed, previously--which made it fun to prepare as well as eat.

The site can be found HERE, recipe copied below.

Broth:
1 can coconut milk
2-3 cups chicken stock (homemade is best, then the stuff in cartons; boullion cubes are a last resort.)
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon palm sugar (I usually substitute brown sugar)
2 stalks fresh lemongrass, washed and choppped in chunks (dried lemongrass is far inferior - punch it up with extra lime juice and zest at the end if you're forced to go this route)
3 red shallots, peeled and chunked (I often substitute 3 smashed cloves of garlic plus a bit of onion)
2 coriander roots, scraped (I usually substitute a pinch of whole coriander seed plus a handful of fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves)
2 chili peppers, halved (pick your favorite type, and modify number to suit your spice taste)
1.5 inch chunk of galanga root, chunked (ginger is in the same family, but tastes totally different - galanga TOTALLY makes the flavor of this dish.  If you can't get this locally, travel to a nearby city and visit the asian markets or scour the internets, buy a pound, then freeze what you can't use now.  It's a floral flavor that you'll definitely recognize if you've had tom kha gai before.)
3 kaffir lime leaves, coarsely chopped (I have a kaffir lime tree in my yard, but you can substitute lime zest if necessary.  It just won't be as fragrant and complex.)
1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (optional, and kind of a cheat, but often good.)

Chunks:
1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut to 1" pieces (you can use breasts, but the thighs are moister and tastier)
1 cup chopped mushrooms (your choice - mix it up)
1-3 Tablespoons fish sauce (This stuff is pungent - if you're not familiar, add incrementally and taste before increasing.  But don't be turned off by the smell.  Definitely use some, as it's a key flavor that softens when you add it to the soup.)
1 can baby corn, drained and chopped to 1/2" chunks (optional)

Finish:
1 Tablespoon lime juice (more if compensating - see notes above)
1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup grape tomatoes halved, or 2 plum tomatoes coarsely chopped (optional)

Tools:
1 large pot, at least 3 qt
knife
cutting board

Lime & Basil Tilapia

Another winner...extremely flavorful!  We serve this with sun-dried tomato rainbow quinoa (simply adding a few of the former to the latter) and steamed spinach.  A great dish, very tasty, and packed with healthy goodness.

Recipe can be found HERE.

Sesame Tofu Stir-Fry over Rice

Had this last night.  CRAZY good and very healthy.  Main ingredients are asparagus, mushrooms, brown rice, and tofu.  Make sure you use extra-firm tofu; we didn't know there was a difference and bought "medium-firm" tofu...definitely was not bad, but you can taste the difference in texture.  Can find the full recipe HERE.

Tom's Southwestern Falafel with Avocado

1 can organic pinto beans
1/2 cup green onions 
Cilantro
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup crushed whole wheat tortilla chips
Cumin

Mash up and make into patties.  Grill on open pan.  Serve with warm pita, hummus, and cabbage.

Tuna & Kale Salad

This one's fantastically healthy and hearty taboot. Garnish with a dose of Summer while sitting on a porch.

2 kale leaves chopped
Small handful of lettuce chopped
1/2 cucumber
1 stalk of celery chopped
4 cherry tomatoes halved
1/4 red bell (or yellow/orange) pepper chopped
2 tbsp butter beans
1 can of solid white tuna
1/4 of an avocado
1/4 cup Craisins

Drizzle fresh lemon juice on top. Bon appetit!

Greek Yogurt Parfait

Greek yogurt parfait

1 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt

1/8 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup berries

1/2 packet Stevia

Add yogurt and Stevia to bowl, mix.  Add oats, mix.  Add berries...mix and ENJOY!

Kale: the BFF I never knew

People have been discussing the health benefits of kale for a while now. In 2013, kale was definitely the "it" vegetable. All the cool/clean-eating kids we're doing it. Well, except for THIS guy. For some reason, I avoided jumping on the kale train--not intentionally--and wondered what the fuss was about while so many of my friends we're enjoying kale shakes and kale chips and sautéed kale and whateverthehellelse they were doing with that gritty green leaf.

Fast forward to two months ago. A born-again clean(ish) eater, I was on a mission to explore new and exciting foods that would help me reach my nutritional goals. So, naturally (no pun intended), what popped into my head: KALE...let's see what this party is all about.


I did a little research. Kale is a CRUCIFEROUS veggie; try that one on for size, it's just fun to say. Also, turns out that kale, while QUITE healthy on the whole, is not without its risks--mainly from mass raw consumption--related to thyroid functioning. However, like Kevin Costner films, it is fine in moderation. Apparently, everyone I knew was already hip to kale chips, so I decided that would be my first foray into this mean, green, health machine.

Verdict: AWESOME. Couldn't be easier to make, very delicious.  Almost inhaled the plate.  I took about two large handfuls of kale (cut off the thick spines), washed thoroughly (put in a bowl of cold water and agitate for a minute or two, then drain and dry), chopped into ~1.5 inch pieces, put on a cookie sheet (parchment paper is also recommended), sprayed with PAM (olive oil is recommended...I'm going to get a mister soon), and sprinkled on some sea salt.  Preheated the oven to 350 and let cook for 10 minutes.  I actually let them bake for 7, then flipped them, and let them bake for another 5 minutes...it all depends on how quickly they are crisping.  WARNING: they can go from chip to burnt piece of ash in very little time.  Keep your eye on these bad boys.

So, kale is now my new best friend.  Healthy, tasty, fun...everything I've ever wanted in a green, leafy vegetable.  Next, will be exploring the wonderful world of sautéed kale; stay tuned! (don't fall off the edge of your seat in anticipation)

HAVE YOUR OWN FUN KALE RECIPE?  LEAVE IT IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!